


Build a Home

by CrazyJ



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Building A Home, Creating a Life, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Nostalgia, Slice of Life, partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26362378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyJ/pseuds/CrazyJ
Summary: Being together meant that Derek's hurt was Stiles' hurt and Stiles' hurt was Derek's hurt, meant that injuries and sicknesses, good days and bad days, lazy days and pack days were always shared with the other, were always something that was dealt with as a unit. No longer did Derek have to run into the wilderness alone, lost and confused and wondering whether he would ever find a home, because he knew where home was and it was right where Stiles was - always.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 6
Kudos: 57





	Build a Home

If you ignored the large, hulking werewolf aspect and the supernatural events that occurred just a tad too often, living with Derek really wasn't all that bad all things considered.

On the one hand, Derek's ability to glide around the house stealthily had certainly given Stiles his fair share of frights, waking up and panicking as he came to realize he was alone in the bed, heart racing as he immediately assumed the worst only for Derek to appear out of thin air, startling Stiles off the side of the bed as he tumbled to the floor as his over-sized, non-intruder boyfriend stopped his heart for the FIFTEENTH TIME THIS WEEK DEREK, SO HELP ME GOD, PUT ON A BELL WHEN YOU LEAVE THE BED AT NIGHT, YOU ABSOLUTE DICK!

On the other hand, Derek's ability to move undetected through the house meant Stiles was never disturbed as the elder slipped from between the sheets and quietly pulled his shoes on long before the sun had fully risen, going for his morning run before Stiles had even considered waking up for the day, returning just in time to make Stiles his favourite hot chocolate/cocoa concoction and bringing it up with him as he came back to bed, the younger nuzzling into the elder's chest, lips upturned with a happy chocolate mustache spread across his content features as he fell back asleep for a few more minutes.

Living with Derek meant that Stiles always had someone to care for who appreciated his incessant fretting, even if he often went overboard in the process. No matter how many times the elder had assured him that he was okay, that his body was already in the process of healing and that in a few hours he'd be back to full health, it was never enough for Stiles. Even if deep, deep, **deep** deep down he knew that Derek was right, had seen the proof of his healing wounds a thousand times before, it didn't change the fact that Derek was _his_ , _his_ lover, _his_ forever partner, _his_ everything and he needed to know, needed to **feel** for himself that his partner was going to be okay, always staying awake until Derek was fully healed and asleep in his arms.

First aid wasn't the same when you were dating a werewolf, so Stiles took it upon himself to reach out to neighbouring packs, often going for long drives early in the morning so he could drive out of state for a rendezvous with a local healer, sitting and enjoying his lessons as he absorbed every piece of information the elder werewolf shared with him, cataloging the name of every herb and spice and ointment that would help him take care of the man that he loved. Though he never found it within himself to tell Derek where he went on those mornings, smiling and assuring his partner that he had just needed to clear his head from the stresses of life, he knew that his partner was aware that he had gone looking for solutions as he rubbed ointment made from a very rare northern seed across the poison-laced slash that graced Derek's side, gently rubbing away the dirt and blood and God knows what else as he patiently waited for the injury beneath his fingertips to heal.

And as their storage room slowly started to fill with herbs that Stiles couldn't even pronounce the name of, special ashes that took months to find and even more special trinkets that Derek had once thought were myths, Derek could only smile and admire the tenacity of the younger male, grateful for the force that was one Mr. Stiles Stilinski, who never, even for a moment, let his status as a human make him any less of a meaningful contributor to the pack, who took his role as a protector seriously and who saved their lives countless times over with the small tidbits of information he had stored away in his missions to support his partner in any way that he could.

It also meant warm pots of chicken noodle soup on the days when Derek just couldn't warm up no matter how hard he tried, physically well, but mentally lost in the fog of dark and depressing memories that weighed him down, muscles taut with tension as his human and werewolf warred for dominance. It meant soft kisses as Stiles drifted on by, long fingers pressing into the pleasure points along Derek's neck and shoulder, stopping to murmur softly in the elder's ear, small encouragements to control his breathing, Derek finding himself being tugged along to the couch where he was deposited into the younger's lap, curling up in his arms, the hum of contentment he let out sounding more like a purr than a human sigh, smiling through the gentle teasing as Stiles ran his nimble fingers through his coarse locks, falling asleep to the sweet hum of the younger's voice above his head as he let himself be at peace.

Since werewolf's couldn't get sick, Winter and Spring saw Derek making frequent trips to the store to pick up herbal teas and decongestants and Stiles' favourite flavoured lozenges that he couldn't stand the smell of, coming home with enough supplies to last a month as the elder flitted around the kitchen, reading and re-reading the recipe the Sheriff had sent a hundred times over, just to make sure it was _just right,_ just like Stiles’ Mom had made it when the younger was but a child. Stiles being sick meant cold wash clothes draped across his neck and forehead when he got too hot and naked cuddles chest to chest when he just couldn't warm up no matter how hard he tried, Derek barely allowing himself to rest until the rattling in his partner's chest had subsided and the rosy flush on his cheeks that he loved so much had returned.

Being together meant that Derek's hurt was Stiles' hurt and Stiles' hurt was Derek's hurt, meant that injuries and sicknesses, good days and bad days, lazy days and pack days were always shared with the other, were always something that was dealt with as a unit. No longer did Derek have to run into the wilderness alone, lost and confused and wondering whether he would ever find a home, because he knew where home was and it was right where Stiles was, whether that was here, or there, or somewhere in between. As long as he had Stiles, Derek would have a home and it was something that brought the elder great peace on the days when things were just a little too much.

Living in the same house meant Derek could always tell when Stiles needed a distraction from his studying, finding a way to annoy his partner just so that Stiles would turn his full attention to him and away from his psych textbook, the latter standing up in a huff and informing Derek with several sharp jabs to the chest that he knew exactly what the elder was doing and no, he did not appreciate the distraction, thank you very much! But when Derek would kiss him to silence his complaints, intense and passionately as he pulled their bodies together and all but dragged Stiles out of the living room and up to their shared bed, the younger man would give in almost immediately, pliant in the elder's strong arms as he dropped them onto their bed in tandem, body angled towards the other as Derek waited patiently for Stiles to start ranting about whatever new theory he was learning about that day that just made such! little! sense! Derek!!! not wanting sex, but just wanting to be there to support the man that he loved.

Those days were the same days that Derek, who struggled in vocalizing how he felt about the younger, still struggling to be vulnerable despite everything they had been through together, would show his love for his partner by walking into their second bedroom (which had long ago turned into a library of sorts) and pull a book from the shelf, tossing it gently to the younger man and waiting with baited breath for the incoming reaction, heart filling at the sight of his partner's lips parted in surprise. Though Derek would never deny the fact that Stiles was easily the smarter of the two, his raw intelligence far outweighing anything Derek could muster up, it always amazed Stiles how tuned in the elder was to his wants and needs, the elder having filled the library with supplementary material that he could use for his papers, the book in his hand being a perfect example as the release date had only been a month prior, Derek having read ahead on Stiles' reading list and found something he thought would be useful for him to use for his assignment.

Having a hot older writer boyfriend meant Stiles could turn to his partner at any moment of the day and ask for the elder's advice on an assignment he was writing or a thought that he had and the latter would always take it seriously, pausing to consider the question fully before voicing his opinion, often bringing resources with him to demonstrate his point. Knowing that the elder was so proficient with written words allowed Stiles to take comfort in knowing his assignments would always have a second reader before being submitted, smiling fondly at the different coloured sticky notes attached to the side of his paper with suggestions for additions or changes, Derek still preferring to work with a hard copy than to edit directly on the document as Stiles would prefer, being too scared to ruin the sanctity of the younger's work, even if Stiles had tried to convince him otherwise a million times over.

Occupying the same space full time meant on the days when Derek was too pent up with energy, unable to leave the house because of the danger he could cause as his werewolf thrummed underneath his skin, desperate for release under the light of the full moon, would find himself seeking Stiles who always knew how to distract him exactly the way he needed him to. On some occasions, this meant shirtless dancing to 80s classics, Derek's bellowing laughter echoing through the halls as he watched his partner "dancing" to whatever song had caught his fancy that particular moment, his motions resembling that of a blow up doll from outside of a car dealership more than it did of any form of dancing he knew, but Derek never tired of it all the same. Other days, when Derek's wolf fought tooth and nail against him for control of his humanity, Derek would find Stiles face down on their bed, puckered hole waiting to be filled as Derek's wolf, momentarily distracted, instead shifted its focus to claiming his mate, zeroing in on their combined pleasure as he pushed the pair of them to ecstasy over and over until they were both a quaking mess, wrapped in each other's warm embrace as they came down from their emotional high.

Being around each other constantly meant learning to love the things the other person loved, Stiles slowly coming to recognize what Derek loved so much about the sports games that were always gracing their living room TV, finding himself getting more and more invested over time, shouting loudly at the refs when a bad call was made and hollering loudly much to the elder's amusement whenever their chosen team would score. For Derek this meant coming to love the focused expression that adorned Stiles' face, tongue sticking out of his lips resolutely as he worked to maintain a positive K/D in whatever game he was playing that night with Scott, crying out in outrage at all the right moments and congratulating the younger man on his sick headshot as he watched encouragingly from the couch behind him. 

This continued time together also meant loving all of the others' flaws as well, Stiles shaking his head in annoyance as his partner's inability to throw out a container when it was empty, grumbling to himself as he added 'milk' to the shopping list, pouting as he realized he couldn't make himself the tea that he had wanted, sighing loudly and missing the sheepish expression on the elder's face as he scampered up to the second floor to wait out his partner's annoyance. For Derek, there was no greater pain than watching as the younger stripped himself of his clothes after a long day at work and tossed them directly _beside_ the hamper that Derek had so painstakingly set out, dying inside every time he moved the containers around in hopes of finding a spot that would result in Stiles actually putting the items of clothing _inside _the hamper and not beside it, though by now it had become second nature to bend down on his way to the bed, collecting the dirty items and sorting them into their respective hampers quickly, missing the fond look that crossed his partner's face as he closed the bathroom door behind him, grateful for the elder's thoughtful actions.__

__Sharing a space together meant that Derek and Stiles had to establish who did what in their home, meant Derek slaving over the stove to cook a meal for his partner for when he got home after work, often exhausted after his internship and devoid of a will to cook something at home, sinking into the chair beside Derek and leaning forward to inhale the food on his plate, the noises that slipped from his lips as he did so bordering between lewd and orgasmic as compliment after compliment tumbled from his lips as he chewed. Despite having been the primary cook at home for years after his mother had died, Stiles never got tired of coming home to a full meal already prepared, thoughtfully constructed around whatever craving he had spilled to the elder during their quick talks during the day, whether that was as simple as a plate of tacos quickly pulled together or a more obscure desire for a quiche after having seen one on the TV the night before._ _

__For Derek, it meant lounging back on the couch with his feet on the table and a beer placed into his relaxing arm, looking up and smiling at his partner who bent down to give him a kiss after shooing him out of the kitchen, already flitting around to tidy up after the two of them, much preferring to wash up than to construct the dinner, smiling happily as he realized there was enough for leftovers the next day, turning on the radio in the kitchen and singing to whatever song came across their speakers, smiling to himself as he watched Derek physically cringe as he attempted to hit a note so high that even Derek's werewolf ears wouldn't be able to hear it._ _

__It also meant lazy Sunday's where Derek vacuumed shirtless at his partner's request as the younger swept in the kitchen and by the front door, paying more attention to the muscles that flexed under his partner's skin and less attention to the dirt he was supposedly sweeping underneath his feet. Dusting meant loud giggles as the elder's sensitive nose twitched at the particles that flew up into the air as Stiles watched on happily and supportive words of encouragement as Derek stood on their dining table as he made Stiles kill whatever the fuck that was that was crawling across their living room floor. It meant falling into a routine that allowed the other person to flourish while the pair of them grew stronger, knowing their place in their relationship and loving that at the end of the day they were together and healthy and happy and free._ _

__Seeing the other like this, open and carefree, made Derek want to do nothing more than to kiss his beautiful boyfriend and remind him of how much he loved him, taking the dish out of the younger's hands and backing him up against the counter as he desperately sought his lips. Placing the dish in the sink and throwing the towel over his shoulder, Derek cupped the younger's cheeks as he brought their lips together, teasing with his tongue until he had the younger gasping into the kiss, opening him up so he could ravage him with his love, hoisting the younger up into his arms as he strode to the nearest soft surface, kissing down his partner's chest as he rid the younger of his clothes and kissed him until the only thing he could shout was his name on repeat._ _

__Sharing their life together meant that for Stiles, all of his days, his bad days and his good days and even his in between days were shared with his Derek. It meant allowing himself to feel emotions he would normally suppress, meant acknowledging issues he would normally pass over under the guise of it being an ADHD symptom, knowing fully that he was only making excuses and wanting to be better for the man who always tried to be better for him._ _

__For Derek, it meant that all his bad days, much more infrequent than in the past, were slowly becoming more and more good days as he learned to allow himself to open up to Stiles, who only ever judged him if he burned their food responding to a text that Erica had sent in the group chat about whatever she was doing on her current adventure._ _

__Intertwining their lives to the extent that they had meant navigating different relationships that had never mattered before, meant being at each other's throats could never be their first resort and certainly could never be their last one. Learning to befriend the pack meant opening himself up to other's hatred, though it never came, the pack accepting Stiles in a way that he was grateful for, knowing he was the only one without some sort of supernatural aid, though the others treated him like family despite their differences. Even if he couldn't run through the forest with them on full moons, the pack bonding as they tumbled through the trees, Stiles knew that he would always be waiting for them at the other end, fire lit as he and Lydia and the newer partners settled around the fire with s'mores and hoots of encouragement as the wolves amongst them raced through the trees in the night._ _

__For Derek, intertwining their lives meant re-learning how to navigate his relationship with the Sheriff, first as a tentative acquaintance, then as a friend and finally and much to his own surprise, as a son. Loving Stiles meant loving the Sheriff and after all of the hardship he had faced in his life, Derek was grateful that the older man had been so willing to take him in, had seen the way that Stiles and he had battled with each other, had seen what they were to become long before the two of them actually had. Having someone to turn to when things got tough was a luxury that Derek would forever be grateful for, sitting across the table from the Sheriff and Melissa as they listened to him vent his fears about Stiles' new medication dosage, not liking the way his partner's moods changed whenever he was coming off them._ _

__Being together meant growing as a unit, meant Stiles' family became Derek's family and Derek's family, though smaller and much more tattered, became Stiles' family, as the two vowed to each other to move forward as a unit, to put their past behind them and to grow older together, because being apart was something neither of the men could ever imagine ever again, not after everything they had been through._ _

__Creating a life together meant that both men had to work up the courage to use their words to convey their feelings instead of letting the anger simmer and bubble up until it eventually spilled over the top and resulted in burns that were no longer acceptable when the person on the receiving end was someone that you loved. Needing to communicate meant they each had to understand what they wanted out of their relationship, meant setting boundaries no matter how small, meant coming to the realization that being honest about how they were feeling was going to be integral to their relationship's success._ _

__Living together meant that they could no longer just run away from their problems, meant having long talks in bed or in the bath as they calmly discussed something that had bothered them that day, meant addressing issues directly at the dinner table after a long day at work on the couch after Jeopardy had ended and Derek had won again, knowing that they loved the other person enough to not want to go to bed angry. It meant all of their emotions, all of their love, their fears, their jealousies, their elation, all of them were open books to be read and digested by the other at their earliest choosing. It meant sharing how they were feeling and asking for the other to share how they were feeling and knowing it would always be shared as long as they had each other, meant knowing that everything would be okay as long as they were one, because nothing could tear them apart so long as they were open, honest and most importantly, genuine about the love they held for the other._ _

__Building a home together meant that every day, Derek came home to a partner who loved him more than he thought he deserved, who was ferocious in his protection for the older man and who would quite literally go to the farthest reaches of the universe just to bring back a singular star if that's what Derek wanted._ _

__Creating a life together meant that every day, Stiles came home to a partner who challenged him to think outside of the box, who helped him overcome his personal vices and who made him want to be a better person, grateful always for the way the elder loved him with reckless abandon._ _

__Being each other's partner, being each other's one and only, meant that happiness for each of them was at each other's fingertips, was found in the way they said each other's names and in the 'I love you's' they shared every morning when they opened up their eyes, and every night as they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms._ _

__Their love, in the end, was building a life together and calling it their home._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, hi, good to see you again!
> 
> I've had this fic sitting in my drafts for quite awhile, but something about it wasn't quite right. 2,000 additional words later and a stylistic re-write we have this, just a one shot that's been on my mind lately as I think fondly of my never dying love for one Mr. Derek Hale and one Mr. Stiles Stilinski. 
> 
> Let me know what you think, comments and kudos go a long way to inspiring a writer and I'll happily take requests if you have any on any of my socials.
> 
> Thanks for being here and hope you enjoyed! All my best, J x
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JessaJessJ) | [Tumblr](https://hobrerek.tumblr.com/) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/CrazyJWrites)


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